Baltimore Nonviolence Center

Friday, December 27, 2019

Are you interested in a Baltimore divestment resolution?

Below is a draft resolution for the city of Arlington, Virginia. There is a group which is working on this matter. It will be some time before the organizers actually present it to a legislative body. I am curious to see if there would be interest in engaging in such a process in Baltimore. Please share your perspective.

Kagiso, Max

Draft resolution:

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE DIVESTMENT OF COUNTY OPERATING FUNDS IN ANY COMPANY INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF FOSSIL FUELS OR THE PRODUCTION OR UPGRADING OF WEAPONS AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS

WHEREAS Arlington County formally declares its opposition to investing County funds in any entities that are involved in the production of fossil fuels or the production or upgrading of weapons and weapons systems, whether conventional or nuclear, and including the manufacture of civilian arms;

and, WHEREAS pursuant to the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act ( Virginia Code Section 2.2-4400 et seq.), and the Virginia Investment of Public Funds Act (Virginia Code Section 2.2-4500 et seq.), the County Treasurer has sole discretion over the investment of County operating funds;

and, WHEREAS the County Treasurer has a duty to invest all County funds with the primary objectives of safety, liquidity, and yield;

and, WHEREAS the primary investment objectives for operating funds of safety, liquidity, and yield can be achieved while supporting the Board’s opposition to investing County funds in any entity involved in the production of fossil fuels or the production or upgrading of weapons and weapons systems;

and, WHEREAS weapons companies that Arlington County can commit to not investing in produce weapons that have been used in mass shootings in Virginia and which are likely to be used in more mass shootings in the future;

and, WHEREAS on June 20, 2017, Arlington County resolved to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and plan for climate adaptation, and on September 21, 2019, Arlington County updated its Community Energy Plan which makes a strong moral and financial case for a shift to sustainable energy and commits Arlington County to wise energy use;

and, WHEREAS U.S. weapons companies supply deadly weapons to numerous brutal dictatorships around the globe;

and, WHEREAS the current federal administration has labeled climate change a hoax, moved to withdraw the U.S. from the global climate accord, attempted to suppress climate science, and worked to intensify the production and use of warming-causing fossil fuels, with the burden therefore falling on city, county, and state governments to assume climate leadership for the sake of their citizens’ wellbeing and the health of local and regional environments;

and, WHEREAS militarism is a major contributor to climate change;

and, WHEREAS continuing on the current course of climate change will cause a global average temperature rise of 4.5ºF by 2050, and cost the global economy $32 trillion dollars;

and, WHEREAS the President of the United States has said that the current U.S. war in Syria is being fought exclusively in order to take Syria’s oil, the consumption of which would do serious damage to the earth’s climate;

and, WHEREAS five-year averages of temperature in Virginia began a significant and steady increase in the early 1970s, rising from 54.6 degrees Fahrenheit then to 56.2 degrees F in 2012, at which rate Virginia will be as hot as South Carolina by 2050 and as northern Florida by 2100;

and, WHEREAS economists at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have documented that military spending is an economic drain rather than a jobs-creation program, and that investment in other sectors is economically beneficial;

and, WHEREAS satellite readings show water tables dropping worldwide, and more than one in three counties in the United States could face a “high” or “extreme” risk of water shortages due to climate change by the middle of the 21st century, while seven in ten of the more than 3,100 counties could face “some” risk of shortages of fresh water;

and, WHEREAS, wars are often fought with U.S.-made weapons used by both sides (Examples include U.S. wars in Syria, Iraq, Libya, the Iran-Iraq war, the Mexican drug war, World War II, and many others);

and, WHEREAS local government investing in companies producing weapons of war implicitly supports federal war spending on those same companies, many of which depend on the federal government as their primary customer, while a fraction of the same spending could pay for a Green New Deal;

and, WHEREAS heat waves now cause more deaths in the United States than all other weather events (hurricanes, floods, lightning, blizzards, tornados, etc.) combined and dramatically more than all deaths from terrorism, and an estimated 150 people in the United States will die from extreme heat every summer day by 2040, with almost 30,000 heat-related deaths annually;

and, WHEREAS the rate of mass shootings in the United States is the highest anywhere in the developed world, as civilian gun manufacturers continue to reap enormous profits off bloodshed that we do not need to invest our public dollars in;

and, WHEREAS between 1948 and 2006 “extreme precipitation events” increased 25% in Virginia, with negative impacts on agriculture, a trend predicted to continue, and global sea level is projected to rise an average of at least two feet by the end of the century, with rising along the Virginia coast among the most rapid in the world;

and, WHEREAS the danger of nuclear apocalypse is as high as it has ever been;

and, WHEREAS climate change, like gun violence, is a serious threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Arlington, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that climate change poses a threat to human health and safety, with children being uniquely vulnerable, and calls failure to take “prompt, substantive action” an “act of injustice to all children”;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Supervisors of Arlington, Virginia that it declares its support and encouragement of any and all persons acting on behalf of County investment activity, to divest all County operating funds from any entity engaged in the production of fossil fuels or the production or upgrading of weapons and weapons systems within 30 days.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218. Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

Divestment in Baltimore?/FRANCES CROWE'S LEGACY LIVES ON.

Friends,

I received a number of responses about working on a divestment resolution in Baltimore from any entity involved in the production of fossil fuels or weapons. I am sending this out a second time to see if there are others who may be interested in such a campaign. The Baltimore City Council on August 6, 2018 passed a Back from the Brink resolution, which covers the issue of nuclear weapons. So a divestment resolution would be a bookend to the earlier one. Let me know if you might have interest in this campaign. Then in the New Year, we can start to do some brainstorming. Let us hope that Peace breaks out in 2020.

Kagiso, Max

FRANCES CROWE’S LEGACY LIVES ON…

http://www.nuclearban.us/frances-crowes-legacy-lives-on/.

Quaker peace activist Frances Crowe (1919-2019) spent her whole life fighting for peace, justice and the environment, and of all the causes she fought for, the one she was probably most passionate about was the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Frances was joyously tearful at hearing the news two years ago (at age 98) that 122 countries had finally adopted a treaty banning everything to do with nuclear weapons under international law. She was determined to give this new treaty all the support she could, and so we worked together to form NuclearBan.US, a campaign to build support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was launched in her living room in November, 2017.

Frances was prepared to go to jail for her beliefs (and did many times). But she was also prepared to make enormous personal sacrifices for her beliefs. She stopped paying her taxes because her tax dollars were going to pay for war and preparations for war. She stopped driving her car because fossil fuels were causing climate catastrophe. She stopped eating her favorite foods because they were being shipped halfway round the world and fueling not only climate catastrophe but global inequality.

She agreed that NuclearBan.US could not expect people to take such extreme steps, but she wanted people to do more than just “proclaim” their support for the elimination of nuclear weapons. She wanted people to take action, to demonstrate their commitment to this, to take personal responsibility for the fact that we still have these evil weapons in our midst and we still have governments who are ready and willing to use them to slaughter millions of innocent people, supposedly for the sake of ‘national defense.’

NuclearBan.US therefore set up a process through which individuals, faith communities, businesses, schools, cities and states could “align” themselves with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – by divesting from any investments that may be supporting the continued existence of nuclear weapons in this country; by refusing to work for any of those companies, do research for them, supply to them; and by agreeing to boycott their products (until such time as they stop their involvement in the nuclear weapons industry).

Some cities and towns across the country had already made such commitments when they became Nuclear Free Zones back in the 1980s. Takoma Park, Maryland and Berkeley, California thus became the first two cities in the US to declare themselves “Treaty Aligned.” Frances’ own city of Northampton, Massachusetts, however, became the first city in the US to go through the process from scratch to become newly Treaty Aligned, which they completed in 2019.

Frances’ own Quaker Meeting, Northampton Friends Meeting, became the first faith community in the country to become Treaty Aligned. Since then, a small but growing number of churches, businesses, schools, colleges, cities and towns have become Treaty Aligned or have started the process. Frances herself was, of course, one of the first to declare herself individually aligned with the treaty.

Since the NuclearBan.US campaign was launched nearly two years ago, it has gone through various transformations to keep up with the latest developments on the nuclear front (such as the collapse of the INF Treaty and the Iran Deal, the changing relations with North Korea, the nuclear false alarm in Hawaii, etc.) – and to keep up with the latest developments on the Frances Crowe front! Frances has always been concerned about many other issues apart from the nuclear weapons issue, and as she approached 100, was increasingly concerned about the climate crisis and its links to all the money, brainpower and international goodwill being squandered on wars, militarism and nuclear weapons in particular.

One of Frances’ personal goals as part of the NuclearBan.US campaign was to get Smith College to align with the Treaty by divesting from the nuclear weapons companies. Smith College holds her archives and considers her one of their own, although she did not go to college there. Last spring (at age 100), Frances helped bring together students from the Divest Smith (from fossil fuels) campaign and the Smith Center for Religious and Spiritual Life to talk about getting the college to divest from nuclear weapons and from fossil fuels.

Just a few days before she died, Frances sent a letter to the President of Smith College, urging her to divest the college from nuclear weapons and fossil fuels as a way of “addressing nuclear weapons, the climate crisis, and injustice in powerful and practical ways.” The campaign at Smith will go on, as part of Frances’ legacy. But there are other ways that the legacy of Frances Crowe lives on through NuclearBan.US.

Partly as a result of Frances’ persistence in seeing the links and trying to bring together the issues of peace, justice and the environment under a single banner, NuclearBan.US has now expanded its focus to include all three of the life and death emergencies facing the whole planet right now. These are the climate crisis, which threatens catastrophic consequences to human civilization and the planet if it is not fully and immediately addressed with bold and decisive action (ie. with implementation of a Green New Deal); the threat of nuclear war, which could happen at any moment, on purpose or by accident, and has the potential to destroy all life on earth; and a third global emergency, the increasingly unsustainable levels of inequality that threaten to tear this country – and the world – apart at the seams, preventing us from being able to address either of the other two emergencies.

The new “Warheads to Windmills” campaign was launched in Congress, with the publication of a report by the same name in Rep. Jim McGovern’s office. The campaign calls for implementation of a Green New Deal to address the climate crisis and inequality th the scale and urgency required. It calls for the US and other nuclear nations to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This will to help pay for a Green New Deal, not just in this country but also in the other countries that emit the most greenhouse gases – and just happen to be spending all their billions on nuclear weapons at the moment. It would also release all the scientists, engineers and technological infrastructure currently devoted to nuclear weapons, but needed to solve the remaining renewable-energy challenges. And it would help build the international cooperation and goodwill needed to address climate change and other worldwide problems on a global scale.

By divesting from fossil fuels and from nuclear weapons, by taking steps as individuals and as organizations, faith communities, cities and states to disconnect from these companies as far as we can, and by declaring our solidarity with the rest of the world, we can all carry on the work of Frances Crowe and help ensure a healthy, thriving future for our children and grandchildren and the many generations still to come.

By Tim Wallis August 28, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert – December 27 – 28, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert – December 27 – 28, 2019

"I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends, this list and other email documents which I send out are done under the auspices of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center. Go to www.baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com. If you appreciate this information and would like to make a donation, send contributions to BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Max Obuszewski can be reached at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net.

1] Books, buttons and stickers

2] Web site for info on federal legislation

3] Get involved with NCNR

4] Get on the Marc Train – Dec. 27

5] Nature’s Witness: Wildlife Photography Exhibit through Feb. 28

6] Fire Drill Friday – Dec. 27

7] White House vigil – Dec. 27

8] WIB peace vigils – Dec. 27

9] Feast of the Holy Innocents – Dec. 27

10] Peace and justice vigil – Dec. 27

11] Ballroom Dancing – Dec. 27

12] Adoption Event at Petco – Dec. 28

13] Cats, Coffee, & Cookies – Dec. 28

14] Christmas protest at drone base -- Dec. 28

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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available. “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

2] – To obtain information how your federal legislators voted on particular bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/. Congressional toll-free numbers are 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588 or 800-426-8073. The White House Comment Email is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.

3] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR]. It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed. It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to U.S. wars.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net. Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.

4] – If you want to join Jane Fonda at Fire Drill Friday, be at Baltimore Penn Station for the 9:18 AM Marc train. Then join Dick Ochs and Theresa Reuter as they will walk to the SE lawn of the Capitol for the 11 AM rally and support those doing resistance. Return to Baltimore by 3 PM.

5] – On Fri., Dec. 27 from 10 AM to 6 PM, check out the Becoming Jane Exhibition, hosted by the Jane Goodall Institute at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW, WDC 20036. Tickets are at www.nationalgeographic.org. The exhibition will continue through Summer 2020. Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, braved the unknown to give the world a remarkable window into humankind’s closest living relatives: chimpanzees. In this hands-on, transportive multimedia exhibition celebrating her extraordinary life and work, you’ll explore Dr. Goodall’s early years through iconic images and a multiscreen experience and venture on a 3D exploration of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park where she did her famous behavioral research on chimps. You’ll also see a life-size hologram of Dr. Goodall, enter a replica of her research tent, and learn about her current role as a leader in community-centered conservation and youth empowerment. Before you leave, you will find out what you can do today to make a positive impact in the world.

The museum is open 7 days a week (except Christmas Day) from 10 AM to 6 PM (last ticket sold at 5 PM daily.) Groups of 20 or more receive discounted museum admission. Contact groupsales@ngs.org to book your group visit today. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/977953615906486/.

6] - On Fri., Dec. 27 join a Fire Drill Friday event Forests Can't Wait! It will take place from 11 AM to 12:30 PM at the United States Capitol, WDC 20515. Jane Fonda continues to lead a weekly rally followed by a risk arrest action on the southeast lawn of the US Capitol to demand action to address the climate emergency.

Forests are a key ally in combating climate change – and we need to join together to be allies for the forest. Simply put: we can’t solve the climate crisis without protecting forests. Forests are like great big climate stabilizing systems that do so much good: they regulate ecosystems, provide habitat and protect biodiversity, play an integral part in the carbon cycle, and are home and livelihood for millions of people around the world. When forests are healthy, they absorb a good chunk of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, but when forests are burned - often to clear land for destructive agricultural practices and biofuel – CO2 is released and climate change is accelerated.

It’s this simple: to maximize the climate benefit of forests, we must keep more forest landscapes intact, manage forests sustainably, and restore those that we have lost. And, we must protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local traditional communities who live in and depend on forests. Many studies have documented that forests are healthiest when the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are honored and respected. Instead, these communities are too often threatened and forest defenders are harassed and even killed as they seek to protect forests that we all need to survive. We stand in solidarity with forest defenders from the Arctic to the Amazon, the Canadian Boreal to Indonesia to the Congo. Together, we can protect the forests and the communities who depend on them which, when it comes to climate change, includes all of us. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/460058474912546/.

7] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Dec. 27 at noon. Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649, artlaffin@hotmail.com.

8] – Women in Black VIGILS FOR PEACE take place on Fri., Dec. 27 from noon to 1 PM. One is at McKeldin Square, corner of Light and Pratt Sts., in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore. Use the purple circulator line. Enjoy an AFTER VIGIL LUNCH from the food trucks in the Inner Harbor. Bring Your Own Sandwich or stop by one of the food trucks in the McKeldin Square.

Another is at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St., Baltimore. Free Parking available. Vigil from noon to 1 PM. Lunch in the Bistro at 1 PM. If there's a storm, there is no vigil, but there will be lunch. Contact Anne: awyattbr@gmail.com. The final vigil is in Chestertown, Kent County on the Eastern Shore at Memorial Park at Cross Street and Park Row. Email wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org.

9] – Come to the Holy Innocents Faith and Resistance Retreat/Witness starting on Fri., Dec. 27 at 1 PM through Sat., Dec. 28 at 8:30 AM at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church, 1525 Newton St. NW, WDC 20010. Join members of the Atlantic and Southern Life communities and other peacemaking friends in a time of prayer and nonviolent witness to commemorate the Massacre of the Holy Innocents – past and present. Arrive by 12:45 PM, and it will begin with a prayer and reading of the Gospel account of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Then plan for the public witness at the Pentagon which will take place later in the afternoon. This will be followed by dinner and Liturgy. On Saturday, there will be Morning Prayer at 6:30 AM. This will be followed by a Pot-Luck Breakfast (Please Bring food to Share), Clean-Up, and an 8:15 AM departure. Due to lack of meeting spaces because of other church activities, we need to leave the church by 8:30 AM. If you are planning to stay overnight please let Art know so he can notify the church.

Remember Heidi Hynes, John Downing, Frances Crowe, Naed Smith, Mary Grace McCoy, Macy Morse, Beth Adams, Simon Harak, SJ and others from our communities who have left us. Also remember the recently convicted Kings Bay Plowshares 7 as they now prepare for their sentencing (date still unknown). Contact Art Laffin, Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: artlaffin@hotmail.com.

10] – There is usually a silent peace and justice vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St. The next scheduled vigil is on Dec. 27. Black Lives Matter.

11] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be on Dec. 27. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

12] – On Sat., Dec. 28 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, get with the Adoption Event at Petco, 10383 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills 21117, hosted by The Feline Rescue Association. Meet cats who need homes. This will continue until Sat., Dec. 28. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/608172806298242/?event_time_id=661037984345057.

13] – On Sat., Dec. 28 from noon to 3 PM, get over to Cats, Coffee, & Cookies, hosted by Passport Animal Rescue, Inc. at Petco, 1719 York Rd., Lutherville 21093. Spend quality time at the Lutherville/Timonium Petco every Saturday with adoptable cats and kittens! Enjoy coffee, juice, cookies, treats, and a whole room available for you to play with cats. This will continue until Sat., Dec. 28. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/138383510382707/?event_time_id=138383660382692.

14] - On Sat., Dec. 28 at noon, join a Christmas Week Protest at the drone war command at the Horsham PA Air National Guard Station, Route 611/Easton & County Line Roads, Horsham, PA. Stop the policy of drone warfare and endless war. Ignite Peace in Horsham, the heart of drone war operations in the state. Continue to Tell PA Governor Tom Wolf, head of PA Air National Guard: BAN PA DRONE WAR OPERATIONS! This is the last demonstration at the Horsham Air Guard Station before the January/February 2020 winter pause. Demonstrations will resume the last Saturday of March 2020 at noon. Go to www.brandywinepeace.com or call 484-574-1148.

To be continued

Friday, December 20, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- December 20 - 21, 2019

55] Becoming Jane Exhibition – through Summer 2020

56] Fire Drill Friday – Dec. 20

57] White House vigil – Dec. 20

58] WIB peace vigils – Dec. 20

59] Peace and justice vigil – Dec. 20

60] Stop Hindu Fascism – Dec. 20

61] Communities United Holiday Party – Dec. 20

62] Ballroom Dancing – Dec. 20

63] Walking Tour of the Churches of Frederick Douglass – Dec. 21

64] Sing carols for Bernie – Dec. 21

65] Adoption Event at Petco – Dec. 21

66] No Christmas on a Dead Planet – Dec. 21

67] Cats, Coffee, & Cookies – Dec. 21

68] Divest Party – Dec. 21

69] Zoo Bites – Dec. 21

70] Protest Lockheed Martin – Dec. 21

71] Memorial Day for the homelessness – Dec. 21

72] Homeless Persons' Memorial Day – Dec. 21

73] Write letters supporting the Plowshares

74] Two Berrigan Books still in print

75] Emergency Demonstration against an attack on Venezuela or Iran

76] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

77] Do you need any book shelves?

78] Join the Global Zero campaign.

79] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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55] – On Fri., Dec. 20 from 10 AM to 6 PM, check out the Becoming Jane Exhibition, hosted by the Jane Goodall Institute at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW, WDC 20036. Tickets are at www.nationalgeographic.org. The exhibition will continue through Summer 2020. Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, braved the unknown to give the world a remarkable window into humankind’s closest living relatives: chimpanzees. In this hands-on, transportive multimedia exhibition celebrating her extraordinary life and work, you’ll explore Dr. Goodall’s early years through iconic images and a multiscreen experience and venture on a 3D exploration of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park where she did her famous behavioral research on chimps. You’ll also see a life-size hologram of Dr. Goodall, enter a replica of her research tent, and learn about her current role as a leader in community-centered conservation and youth empowerment. Before you leave, you will find out what you can do today to make a positive impact in the world.

56] – Inspired by the Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, the student strikers and Naomi Klein's new book "On Fire: The Burning Case for the Green New Deal," Jane Fonda decided to upend her life, left her comfort zone and move to Washington, D.C. for four months to focus on climate change. As Greta said, "This is a crisis. We have to act like our house is on fire, because it is.” So, every Friday Jane will host an action called — Fire Drill Friday. On Dec. 20 at 11 AM, meet near the Capitol steps across from the Supreme Court and speak out for Health Care Can't Wait!

Here’s the deal: We are living at the last possible moment in human history when we can do something about climate change or fail to do so, thereby denying hundreds of millions of people a livable future. Last year, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its regular report which stated in no uncertain terms that given the worsening disasters we’re already seeing and the additional warming that is already baked in because we didn’t act 30 years ago, we do not stand a chance at changing course in time without profound, systemic economic and social change in the next 11 years. Visit https://www.codepink.org/firedrillfridays.

57] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Dec. 20 at noon. Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649, artlaffin@hotmail.com.

58] – Women in Black VIGILS FOR PEACE take place on Fri., Dec. 20 from noon to 1 PM. One is at McKeldin Square, corner of Light and Pratt Sts., in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore. Use the purple circulator line. Enjoy an AFTER VIGIL LUNCH from the food trucks in the Inner Harbor. Bring Your Own Sandwich or stop by one of the food trucks in the McKeldin Square.

59] – There is usually a silent peace and justice vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St. The next scheduled vigil is on Dec. 20. Black Lives Matter.

60] – On Fri., Dec. 20 from 6 to 8 PM, Stop Hindu Fascism, hosted by National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance at the True Reformer Building, WDC 20009. The protesters need solidarity letters and videos. They need to know others are rooting for them. Join for a night of solidarity, processing and healing. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced by the Hindu nationalist government, the BJP, and is built upon excluding Muslim communities in India. The CAB is part of an effort by the Hindu Fascist state to build a country where Muslims are rendered stateless. In the past few days, thousands of students have taken to the streets to protest the CAB. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2415862348666237/.

61] – The Communities United Holiday Party is Fri., Dec. 20 from 7 to 9:30 PM at Douglas Memorial Community Church, 1325 Madison Ave., Baltimore 21217. Bring your family and holiday spirit and help make merry. Potluck offerings welcome but not required. There will be food, gifts and fun for the kids and the kids at heart. Check out marylandcu.com.

62] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be on Dec. 20. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

63] –On Sat., Dec. 21 from 9:30 to 11 AM, join a Walking Tour of the Churches of Frederick Douglass, starting at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE, WDC 20020. Tickets are $12.50. Join local reporter and historian John Muller on a special evening walking tour through Old Anacostia and Barry Farm, examining the history of the neighborhood churches Frederick Douglass regularly attended. The walk will conclude at Campbell AME Church at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Sumner Road SE in Barry Farm. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/517281495689410/.

64] – On Sat., Dec. 21 starting at 10 AM to noon, go caroling for Bernie at the Westfield Annapolis Mall, Annapolis 21401. Sing some very, very Bernie Christmas adaptations of holiday songs and spread the good word about Bernie. Then, in the afternoon (1:30 to 3:30 PM), there will be carolers at the Mall at Prince George's (front entrance on the side of Chipotle), Hyattsville. Finally, as evening falls (5 to 7 PM), the caroling will be near the Inner Harbor in Baltimore at the Christmas Village on Light St. See http://www.baltimore-christmas.com/visitor-guide.html. Don't worry if you can't really carry a tune. You'll know the melodies, and you can fake it. The point is to have fun. See https://www.facebook.com/events/846763132408240how.

Join Maryland for Bernie Sanders and sing carol songs based on Bernie's policy platforms, register voters, and hand out literature! Please come festive in Christmas holiday colors. Wear red noses, Santa hats, and reindeer antlers. Everyone, wear Bernie gear if you can, and dress comfortably for the weather (coat, gloves, scarf, etc.)!

65] – On Sat., Dec. 21 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, get with the Adoption Event at Petco, 10383 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills 21117, hosted by The Feline Rescue Association. Meet cats who need homes. This will continue until Sat., Dec. 28. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/608172806298242/?event_time_id=661037984345057.

66] – On Sat., Dec. 21 at noon, No Christmas On A Dead Planet, hosted by Extinction Rebellion Baltimore at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore. This will be an apocalyptic holiday street celebration! Societal Collapse Santa and his skeleton elf posse will be marching around the Inner Harbor's Christmas Village. Sing climate crisis holiday carols and decorating the streets with justice inspired ornaments. There will also be the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit on apocalypse Santa's lap, take a picture, and whisper sweet nihilistic nothings in his ear. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1448407178650332/.

67] – On Sat., Dec. 21 from noon to 3 PM, get over to Cats, Coffee, & Cookies, hosted by Passport Animal Rescue, Inc. at Petco, 1719 York Rd., Lutherville 21093. Spend quality time at the Lutherville/Timonium Petco every Saturday with adoptable cats and kittens! Enjoy coffee, juice, cookies, treats, and a whole room available for you to play with cats. This will continue until Sat., Dec. 28. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/138383510382707/?event_time_id=138383660382692.

68] – 2019 has been a banner year for the Divest from the war movement across the country, making clear that if we're serious about addressing the climate crisis, we must address U.S. militarism. Divest from the Pentagon and invest it in a Green New Deal! Divest Philly from the War Machine Coalition will host an end of year holiday party on Sat., Dec. 21 from 2:30 to 3:30 PM at Wooden Shoe, 704 South St., Philadelphia 19147. RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/philly_december_21_divest_philly_holiday_party?utm_campaign=philly_local_alert_12_18_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink. Come learn about the campaign, network with fellow activists and organizations, and gear up for the work ahead. Celebrate another year of hard work and successes.

69] -- On Sat., Dec. 21 from 1 to 1:30 PM, check out Zoo Bites: Animal Nutrition Tour by The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore 21217. Tickets are at www.marylandzoo.org. Ever wonder what it takes to feed the more than 1,500 birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles at the Zoo? Take part in an exclusive one-of-kind experience inside the Maryland Zoo’s commissary complex. This 25-30 minute guided tour will take you through the behind-the-scenes areas where we prepare our daily animal diets, order and store the items, and discuss the important role that diets play in animal welfare. During the tour, take part in preparing a special treat for one of the animals and learn more about how the Zoo in participating in conservation and how you can help at home! This tour has no interaction with zoo animals. See https://www.facebook.com/events/355383548459720/?event_time_id=355383575126384.

70] – On Sat., Dec. 21 from 1 to 3 PM, get over to the Annual Christmas Vigil at Lockheed Martin, 230 Mall Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA. Gather at the Corner of Mall & Goddard Boulevards in front of Lockheed Martin, world’s largest war profiteer and behind the King of Prussia Mall, the largest shopping mall on USA East Coast. Pierce the Time's Darkness, Send a Joyous Noise Unto the PEOPLE…, as the bell continues to toll for 42 years of Christmas Peace and nonviolent action. See http://www.brandywinepeace.com/event/christmas-vigil-lockheed-martin-king-of-prussia-pa-pierce-the-times-darkness-send-a-joyous-noise-unto-the-people/. Call 484-574-1148.

71] – On Sat., Dec. 21 from 4 to 5 PM, this is the Longest Night Homeless Memorial, hosted by Arundel House of Hope, 514 Crain Hwy. N, Suite K, Glen Burnie 21061. Remember those that lost their lives while experiencing homelessness in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. The Longest Night Homeless Memorial and Candlelight Service will be held on December 21, 2019 at Whitmore Park. See https://www.facebook.com/events/604235643681803/.

72] – On Sat., Dec. 21 from 5 to 7 PM, come to the Homeless Persons' Memorial Day, hosted by Health Care for the Homeless at Preston Gardens Park, Baltimore 21201. On the winter solstice, come together to honor our neighbors without homes who have died in the past year. Look at ttps://www.facebook.com/events/584687725667017/.

73] – The PLOWSHARES SENTENCING is PENDING, so please WRITE THE JUDGE. Now is the time to write letters to Judge Lisa Godbey Wood regarding her sentencing of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7. The group is collecting letters, especially from those who know the defendants, testifying to their character and the good work that they are doing in their communities which will not be done if they are serving long terms in prison. These letters are not the forum to criticize the law, the legal process or government policies. Rather it is the place to point out positive things about the defendants that should mitigate a harsh sentence. Letters should be sent to defense attorney Bill Quigley at the address below. He will compile them and distribute to various defendants' attorneys for delivery to Judge Wood. The attorneys suggest it would be helpful to get these done by Thanksgiving or the week after in order to get processed and delivered. Sentencing may be in January or possibly February. The best letters are simple, polite, and tell good things about the person you are writing to support.

The suggested format is as follows:

Date

Sender’s Name

Sender’s Address

Judge Lisa Godbey Wood

C/o Bill Quigley

Loyola University New Orleans Law Clinic

Campus Box 902

7214 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70118

Regarding Sentencing of: Mark Colville [or] Clare Grady [or] Martha Hennessy [or] Fr. Steve Kelly SJ [or] Elizabeth McAlister [or] Patrick O’Neill [or] Carmen Trotta (or all seven of the Kings Bay Plowshares)

Dear Judge Wood,

Suggested outline for the letter:

- Explain who you are.

- Explain who you are writing about, how you know them, and what good they do for their community.

- Explain why the Judge should not send them to jail.

- Thank the Judge for reading your letter.

Valediction,

Signature

For more ideas and details for your letters, you are welcome to see the defendants' biographies here: https://kingsbayplowshares7.org/about/bios/.

Thank you for your attentiveness to the trial, your support for the defendants and their families, and your focus on the issue of the abolition of nuclear weapons.

As Fr. Steve Kelly says, "The nuclear weapons won't go away by themselves." We do this work together.

74] – Two books by Fred Wilcox are still in print. The first one is “Fighting the Lamb's War Skirmishes with the American Empire” by Philip Berrigan and Fred A. Wilcox with a FOREWORD by Tripp York. It can be purchased by Wipf and Stock: https://wipfandstock.com/fighting-the-lamb-s-war.html. It is a Memoir in paperback/ISBN: 9781532660078/240 pages/republished 8/21/2018/ Retail Price: $26.00/and Web Price: $20.80.

The second one is “Uncommon Martyrs The Berrigans, the Catholic Left, and the Plowshares Movement” by Fred Wilcox, who profiles members of this anti-war movement, whose Christianity compels them to acts of civil disobedience against the military industrial complex. The ISBN is 0201522314/$6.50 for a hardcover, and it can be purchased at Powell's Books. See https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/view/7094/uncommon-martyrs.

75] – The Trump Administration is again beating the war drums. Most recently, the target is Iran. Should the Trump administration initiate an act of war against Iran, consider joining us. It is a violation of U.S. law for the Trump Administration to attack a country that has not attacked us, as only Congress can declare war. The Trump administration is nevertheless beating the war drums for war against Iran and Venezuela. Should a war criminal, John Bolton, convince Trump to attack either of these countries, such a military strike would demand an immediate and unequivocal response from us to show that we will not tolerate his abuse of power.

Let's mobilize to show that we the people will not tolerate another military adventure, which would be bound to have profound negative consequences. If a military strike against Iran or Venezuela takes place, then meet at 33rd and N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218. If the attack is before 2 PM local time, then the event will begin at 5 PM, local time. If the attack occurs after 5 PM local time, then the event will begin at 5 PM, local time, the following day. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

76] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs, records, tarps and table cloths, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

77] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-323-1637 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

78] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees. This is an historic window of opportunity. With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

79] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218. Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan